Bottle shared at the craft beer junction bermondsey tasting. Many thanks. A oily mahogany brown coloured pour a lasting mid tan head halo. Aroma is semi sweet, raspberry ripple, funky roast, vanilla, cakey malts. Flavour is composed of semi sweet waxy roast, raspberry ripple, some age, mint. Palate is medium sweet, rounded,

13th March 2025
CBJ tasting. Thanks to Leighton for the 2016 bottle. Clear deep brown beer, small bubbly pale tan head. Smooth palate, mildly dry, reasonable fine carbonation. Some oxidisation soon burns off. Oaty dark chocolate malts. Mellow ripe bourbon soaked ripe fruits. Smooth finish. Aged pretty well.

Surprised at the level of oxidation - a little much. Getting past that, some nice ashy roast, baking cocoa, torched barrel, old leather, raisins.

Tap at Night Shift Brewery, Boston. Vintage 2016. Color is almost black with small brownish head. Aromas and flavors: Dark chocolate, bourbon, chocolate and roasted malts. Not too sweet which is good.

750 from TJ! Thanks Duder. split 2 ways with Heather @ fridge temp. Completely pitch black and oily. looks great. 1 finger head. smells like oats, licorice, vanilla and caramel. flavor is thin, mouthfeel thin, has an irish dry stout flavor with lots of licorice and chocolate. it’s a bit acidic and almost rancid. barrel imparted something weird?

Taster at the source dark chocolate pour with a creamy mocha head. Aromas of bakers chocolate oak and some caramel malt. Taste is rich and creamy cake batter chocolate faint notes of the barrel. Not bad.

Draught at the brewery, thanks to my friend’s sister’s boyfriend who was playing live music at Night Shift and was thus allowed to have whatever he wanted (whereas usually non-Barrel Society members can’t try these beers).
Deep, ebony body is of indeterminable clarity. Medium tan head is large and shows moderate to moderately-strong retention.
Bourbon is soft and even in the nose, adding spice and light liquor character. Beer seems dry from the nose with lots of cocoa, light wood, moderate coffee and light prune/plum. There’s some definite black licorice as well, which threatens to make it a bit overly dry/bitter in concert with the bourbon and dark chocolate notes, but there’s enough wood tannin and base malt to gently balance it. It certainly does remain quite dry and spicy/bitter, however. Little/no booze, perhaps just a hint of warmth. Vanilla and even some light banana from the bourbon linger with the chocolate.
Dark chocolate, very light caramel and lots of vanilla and spice from the bourbon with a dry but substantial body featuring lots of dextrine and wood tannin. Banana and vanilla are noted from the bourbon which mix nicely with the cocoa and light roast. Black licorice lingers lightly on the end, with more caramel and chocolate notes. Little/no alcohol, again, though maybe just a touch of heat from the bourbon and esters. Quite nice. Good things generally happen when you ferment your beers dry....

Draft at the source, thanks to Willrunforbeer. Pitch black with nice lace in the snifter. Aroma show a soild amount of chocolate, oak, and caramel sweetness The flavor has a nice dark chocolate quality up front with mild roasted malt, bakers chocolate, and molasses.

The body is lighter side of medium with a creamy velvet feel over the tongue. The flavors are nice but the bourbon treatment is only very lightly noticeable.